---

Omar
"Hi, how are you, Miss Alia?"

Alia
"Hello, Mister Omar. I'm doing great, what about you?"

Omar
"I'm doing well. I was passing by your office, so I thought I should say hi. I hope I'm not interrupting your work."

Alia
"No, not at all. It's supposed to be my lunch break, but I've been checking a few things here and there."

Omar
"I see. Well, if you want, we can go grab some coffee together."

Alia
"Sure, just give me a second."

Omar
"Take your time."

---

Alia
"I like this place; it's so cozy and warm."

Omar
"Yeah, indeed."

Alia
"So, how's it going with you so far? Are you having any issues, any difficulties? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Omar
"Well, it's weird since most of my subordinates were my supervisors a few weeks ago. It's weird giving orders and tasks to those who used to order me around. Sometimes I make mistakes and ask them about today's task instead of informing them or reviewing their progress."

Alia
"Yeah, I used to do that too when I first got this position. But don't worry, if you're the bossy type by nature like me, you'll get used to it in no time.
By the way, Mister Omar, are you a progressive or a non-progressive?"

Omar
"Neither. I never cared about politics, and I never took any political party's side."

Alia
"I see. Then you're a progressor just like your uncle. Those who don't make that choice themselves automatically submit to the side of the more powerful and popular side."

Omar
"So, you think I'm a good boy who will do as my uncle says, that I have no personal beliefs?"

Alia
"Well, you're acting like you're trying to be a good boy. If you keep acting exactly like they tell you, you'll end up as another version of your uncle. And if that's what you want, then I don't care. But you need to ask yourself: What are your ideals and your beliefs? You're going to have to make many choices in the future. You need to prepare yourself in order to make them."

______

Maram
"Wow, check out this apartment. It's so nice and classy."

Omar
"If you like it, then I'll let the owner know that we would like to rent it. And when we have enough money, we will buy it."

Maram
"Are you sure? Is that okay with you?"

Omar
"Don't worry, sis, I got it."

Maram
"Okay. Wow, I never thought we would get rich this quick."

Omar
"Yeah, who would have thought."

Maram
"Are you having trouble dealing with it?"

Omar
"I thought I was getting the hang of it, then out of nowhere I got scolded by another manager."

Maram
"Why?"

Omar
"She thinks I'm nothing but my uncle's puppet, just like how everyone else thinks of me. She was telling me to figure out what my ideals and beliefs are before it's too late or something."

Maram
"She's got a point. But do you have that luxury? If your ideals clashed with our uncle's ideals, would he let it pass?"

Omar
"Of course not. The reason why he made me a manager in the first place was so he could have a right-hand man that he could trust. A puppet who would do exactly as he says. And you know him, you know he wouldn't hesitate to throw me out on the street if I gave him a headache."

Maram
"Yeah, I know."

Omar
"I'm sorry, I ruined your mood. Let's forget about him for now. Let's go talk to the owner."

Maram
"Yeah, let's go."

___

Maher was on his traffic organizing shift as usual. Then he received an order to search every bus on this road because the police were chasing a terrorist group that fled in a white bus.

Maher
"Next!"

He was searching the vehicles as ordered. None of the vehicles that he searched was suspicious.

Maher
"Okay, you can go. Next!"

The next vehicle was a family-owned white Honda bus. The passengers were a man, a woman, and a child.

Maher
"Sir, may I see your IDs?"

The man quietly gave him the IDs. After observing them, Maher ordered them to step out of the vehicle for a few minutes so he could search it.

The man and woman exchanged glances. Then he nodded his head. As Maher made his way to the back of the vehicle to start searching it, the man took off and fled from him.

Maher
"Damn it!"

Maher got on his police motorcycle and started chasing the suspicious vehicle. He reported what had happened using his wireless.

Maher
"Yes, I'm chasing them. It's a white Honda bus. The passengers are a middle-aged man, a young woman, and a kid who looks younger than 10 years old."

Officer Sam
"Got it, I'm coming from the path they are running toward. We will corner them together."

Maher:
"Got it."

Officer Sam was quick. He managed to corner them by himself and made their vehicle crash.

Maher:
"What are you doing!
You could have killed them! you didn't need to be so rough!"

Officer Sam:
"It's their fault, if they are not guilty then they shouldn't have fled,
I was doing my job, now stop complaining and call the ambulance."

Maher
"I'm already on it."

"As Maher called the ambulance, Officer Sam took the passengers out of the vehicle.

Suspected woman:
Please let us explain.'

'Officer Sam: You will explain yourself at the police station.'

'Suspected woman: We're not criminals, I swear to you.'

'Officer Sam: Stay quiet; they'll hear you out during the interrogation.'

'Girl in vehicle: Let her go!'

'Officer Sam: Take care of the kid, officer.'

"Maher: Come with me, kid, don't worry, we won't hurt them."

They had no injuries, so they didn't need the ambulance.
Maher and Officer Sam were done arresting the suspects.
But before the officer could take them to the police station, the man tried to attack Maher.

He somehow took off the handcuffs, picked up a rock from the ground, and lunged at Maher.
Before the man even reached Maher, the officer shot him."

“Maher: Why did you do that! It was just a rock! I could have defended myself and handcuffed him again. You could have shot his leg; why did you shoot his head!”

“Officer Sam: Shut up, newbie. Don't you know the code? Any suspect who dares to attack the officers is sentenced to death.”

“Maher: We didn't even interrogate him!”

“Officer Sam: He's guilty of defying the law, and he attempted to attack an officer. Attacking an officer or a military detective is an A-rank crime.”

“Officer Sam: Even after interrogation, they would have killed him for this crime, no one is allowed to defy the law, and those who try to challenge it never get away with it. You should understand that, newbie. Taking strict actions with uncooperative suspects is the code.”

The officer took the girl and the child with him to the police station while Maher waited for the ambulance to come and pick up the dead body.

He couldn't believe how that officer didn't think twice about shooting the man's head.

He couldn't believe how rough and cruel officers of this country were.
He couldn't imagine himself acting like that officer; there was no way he would judge people and execute them on the street like that.

He knew from day one that he wasn't suited for this job, but today he realized how miserable he was going to feel for the rest of his life.

“Hasan: Good morning, Mrs. Om Hamdan, how do you feel today?”

Mrs. Om Hamdan: "Good morning, Hasan. Alhamdulillah, I feel much better than before, before you started working this shift, I had completely lost hope in my health, but when you walked in with your beautiful smile and your jokes, you gave me strength, this place was so dark and lifeless before you arrived."

Hasan: "Yeah, my mom always says that I'm her sunshine, Hasan: Even my best friends in school couldn't survive a day without me,  I have a friend called Maher; he always asks me to tell him new jokes, and he used to laugh so hard when I did. It's been a while since I last saw him, I wonder what he's doing these days.”

Mrs. Om Hamdan: "Why don't you visit him?  I'm sure he misses you too.”

Hasan: "Yeah, you're right. This weekend I'll meet up with my old friends and have fun, now, come with me. I came here to take you on a morning stroll around the hospital's garden."

Mrs. Om Hamdan:" Do you mean around the parking lot?"

Hasan: "It's spring! The rain has turned the old boring parking lot into a beautiful garden. I'm sure you'll see my point when we get there."

Mrs. Om Hamdan: "Alright, if you say so."

_____

Omar: "Hello!"

Hasan: "Hiiiiiii! It's me, Hasan! How are you? It's been a long time since we last talked."

Omar:" Oh, hi Hasan! You're still as loud as a little kid in an amusement park. I'm sorry that I haven't called you in a long time."

Hasan: "It's okay; three years is nothing. I know you were busy—no hard feelings."

Omar:" I'm sorry; I'll make it up to you. How about we meet this weekend?"

Hasan: "This weekend? I need to check my schedule; I'm a busy man, you know."

Omar: "It's okay; whatever suits you."

Hasan:" I checked, and yeah, I'm free this weekend."

Omar:" Okay, then I'll see you later."

Hasan: "Yeah, see you later! I'll call Maher and let him know."

Hasan: "It would be nostalgic for the three of us to hang out again."

Omar: "Yeah, that would be great!"

Hasan: "Alright, have a good day, Omar. See you later!"

Omar: "Thanks! Have a good day!"

Amani: "Hello."

Hasan: "Hello, Mrs. Maher's mother, It's me, Hasan, his best friend."

Amani:" Oh, hi Hasan, How are you, dear?"

Hasan:" Alhamdulillah, I'm great. What about you?"

Amani: "I'm good, thank you for asking."

Hasan: "Is Maher around? It's been a long time; I'd like to talk to him."

Amani: "Oh, Maher.He's not home yet. I'll take a message if you want to say something to him."

Hasan: "Oh, then can you please tell him to meet me and Omar this weekend?"

Amani: "This weekend?"

Amani: "Sure, I'll let him know."

Hasan: "Great!”

Hasan:" Thank you so much.”

Amani: "You're welcome, dear.”

Hasan: "Have a nice day."

Maher's mother was so happy to know that Maher still had his old friends. She had been worried about him for a while; he hadn't been acting normal. He was always busy with his work, and he rarely smiled or loosened up.

A few hours later, Maher got home, and she was excited to tell him.

Maher: "I'm home."

Amani: "Welcome back, my dear, how was your day?"

Maher:" I'm tired. I'm not hungry; I just wanna go to bed. I'll wake up early and leave after dawn, so don't worry about breakfast either."

Amani: "What?Why are you leaving so early tomorrow?"

Maher: "I have been assigned to a distant district, I need to leave early in order to get there on time."

Amani: "Oh, okay."

Maher: "Good night, Mom."

Amani: " Wait, I have something to tell you.Your friend Hasan called today. He asked me to tell you to meet him this weekend."

Maher: "Didn't he tell you why?”

Amani: No, he just said that he wants to meet you. Isn't he your best friend? It's been a long time since you hung out with your friends, go have fun for a change, You need it.”

Maher:" I'd like to rest at home this weekend, It's been a long week."

Amani: "Come on, don't turn down your friend."

Maher: "Good night, Mom."

Amani: "Good night, dear."